“She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our minds we tried to pin her to a cork board like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew.”
-Jerry Spinelli, Stargirl

November 17, 2011

So I wrote this in November and evidently never pressed Publish... So here you go. I was planning on writing a whole new blog post, but maybe I'll save that for tomorrow.

First of all, I apologize for the long amount of time that are padding my entries. On some level, I suppose that it means I am having less life crises. Then again, I could just be internalizing better. Either way, life is busy, hectic, and beautiful.

Right now, I am very worked up about something. So worked up, I am even considering law school (*pauses for the gasps that I am sure ensued from that statement*). It actually started on Tuesday [November 15] when I read an article for class about an anti-trust case against Google. I had never even thought of Google as a monopoly (especially due to all the negative conotations associated with that label). What appalled me what the insinuation that Google was going to take over the world and there would be no room for others to enter the market and they need to be stopped. This is where America bafflesme. We wholeheartedly support the "little guy" but right when the "little guy" starts going somewhere and becoming the "big guy" we panic and think of all the ways they must be stripped of power. That is so hypocritical and confusing. I do not understand people's arguments against Google. In my opinion, they earned their place in the technology world. This is not to say I do not agree with intervention in the case of corruption - but has Google done anything wrong? They are after all proponents of GOOD (their motto: "Don't be evil.") They make the world's information available nearly universially. They offer great products without charge. (Sidenote: people argue that your information is actually the fee, while if you think about it, it's just like stores taking stats of their customers. Who wouldn't further themselves using their own innovation?! Come on, people!) They are making the world a better place. I truly do not see the problem, and am disgusted that people are belittling them and trying to throw up barriers. That is simply not fair, and benefits NO ONE. If someone can come up with something that legitimately rivals Google, be my guest! I love friendly competition that encourages innovation in both parties. Furthermore, no one has to use Google. There are alternatives. People just use Google because it works!

Additionally, the culture Google (and the rest of the internet) had helped to spur is something I consider to be extremely beneficial to the human race in general. The sense of collaboration that is coupled with the internet encourages interconnintental friendships and teamwork. Open source is extraordinarily unselfish (since you get little out of posting code besides the chance at potential recognitioin) and helps everyone improve their technology. Yes, people use the internet for evil... But so many more people use the internet for good.